Cultivating and weeding tool



Nov. 12, 1963 w. H. MEANS 3,110,349

CULTIVATING AND WEEDING TOOL Filed Jan. 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W472/? H. MM/Ks,

6Q. kMq/ Nov. 12, 1963 w. H. MEANS 3,110,349

CULTIVATING AND WEEDING TOOL Filed Jan. 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,119,349 (IULTIVATHJG ANDWEEDING T4391. Walter Hillyer Means, Atlanta, Ga, assignor to W alter H.Means and Associates Filed .lan. 26, 1952, Ser. No. 168,923 6 Claims.(Cl. 172-479) This invention relates to improvements in garden tools oftype usually referred to as a weeder or soil cultivator and moreparticularly to a utility tool for cutting, pulling and raking grass,weeds and vines and the like as well as working the soil.

i am a 'are of the numerous types and forms of individual tools for asimilar purpose but none of these are designed for a general utilitytool combining all the features in a single tool. For example, manyspade like tools have toothed edges for cutting roots of grass, weedsthe like without the advantage of specific cultivation of soil in adesired advantageous manner. In other Words the tool embodying myinvention is of such novel construction and nature so as to perform thecombined functions of the several individual garden tools now in use forsuch purposes.

Gne important object of the present invention is to provide a utilitytool of the character designed which shall have a novel blade structuredesigned to operate more efficiently in a greater variety of soilworking and weeding conditions than similar implements heretoforeproduced for a like purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide a soil worldng implementof the character designed having a novel form of cutting and toothedblade portions including curved and angularly disposed sections whichshall provide different soil engaging edges for different purposesduring the manipulation of the tool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garden tool in whichthe blade portion includes throughout its longitudinal dimension curvedbody portions and outwardly fiared and curved serrated toothed edgeportions constructed and arranged to provide hook shaped cutting edgesas well as soil working portions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel soil workingimplement of the character designated in which the teeth on one side areprogressively offset transversely from the teeth on the opposite side ofthe body portion of the tool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of soilworking implement in which the side edge cutting teeth of the bodyportion of the tool shall progressively vary longitudinally in area fromthe soil engaging point to vthe handle portion of the tool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool of the characterdesignated in which the soil working portions of the tool shall beadjusted angularly with relation to the tool handle to change the soilworking ability of the tool.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of gardentool in which a longitudinally disposed lode portion shall include acurved soil engaging section at the point, mid section and a curved topsection adjacent the handle portion of the tool blade which shall besubstantially in parallel alignment with the point section.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel garden toolwhich shall be more durable in construction, cfficient in operation andproduced from a single sheet metal die stamping at a minimum of expense.

These and other objects of the invention will be more manifest from thefollowing specification and drawings and more particularly set forth inthe claims.

In the drawings:

FEGURE l is an elevational side view of the weeding tool;

"ice

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on line 77 of FIG. 2; FIGURE 8 is asectional view on line 8-8 of PEG. 1; and

FlGURE 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a weedingand soil working tool it) embodying the several novel features of theinvention. This tool includes substantially a longitudinally disposedspade-like body portion having a formed metal central body blade portion11 preferably formed of sheet steel, 2. lower curved terminal or spearshaped pointed ground engaging portion 12 and a curved upper section 13for receiving a handle All of these portions are designed to form asmooth working tool blade. The soil working portions or sections of theblade are also curved or flared transversely from the channel portion asshown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9 so as to provide effective cutting and soilworking toothed edges. The tool blade body is preferably formed oftempered tool steel and also includes a shallow longitudinal channelportion 15 which extends throughout the length of the tool and providesthe desired back bone strength for the tool from the tip to the handleportion thereof. The upper end of the channel 15 tapers into a straightportion which is U shaped as shown in FIG. 8 by the numeral in. Thisportion of the tool receives a handle member 17 which is constructed andarranged to adjust the blade angularly as more fully hereinafterdescribed. Tne handle 17 may be a short hand handle for close work or along handle so that the workman may stand upright and use the tool as aspade for certain kinds of work.

The longitudinal lateral side edge of the blade body portions eachincludes a series of upwardly inclined l-atorally curved sharpened teethof substantial depth and flared outwardly as indicated by the numerals29-20 as shown in FlGS. 6, 7 and 9. These teeth have sharpened edgesfrom the valley or gullet portions and extend toward the front of thetool as shown in FIGURE 2. It will be noted that the valley or gulle-tportions 2l21 of the pairs of teeth 22@ at the terminal ground engalngportion ll are substantially opposite or at the same elevation whilethose at the upper end of the blade it are at a different elevation. Inother words the teeth on one edge of the blade vary progressively fromtop to bottom of the tool from those on the offside and thus provide thedesired root cutting and soil working areas. All edges of each tooth aresufficiently sharp to provide cutting edges from the tip to the valleyportions as indicated by the numerals 2l2l. The extreme outer ends ofthe teeth are also sharpened to cutting edges as indicated by thenumerals 22-22 so as to provide for cutting grass and weed roots uponpenetration, twisting and withdrawal of the tool from the ground.

Another important feature of the tool is the pointed soil engagingportion 1 This portion is curved and the tan ent thereof indicated bythe numeral 23 is in a plane substantially parallel to the straighthandle portion 16. This arrangement enhances the soil working ability ofthe tool by enabling it to penetrate the soil with a twisting motion ofthe handle 17, and at the same time applying a straight line force, adiagonally formed cylindrical channel 24 in the handle 17 facilitatesthis operation.

The planar relation of'the handle'li to the curved pointed por ion 12 ofthe tool enables it to be used most conveniently in making a furrow bystraight line motion to plant seeds and then with a twisting motion thetool teeth may be drawn along the side of the furrow to cover the seedslightly or deeply as the occasion may require, a diagonally formedchannel 24 facilitates this operation. if the particular job requires aprying force to dislodge a plant or effect a digging operation, the toolmay be reversed to penetrate the soil in a desired effective manner.

Another way of elfectively reversing the tool is shown in FIG. 3 whereinthe metal tool shank 16 is diagonally mounted in the handle 17 by meansof a separate cylindrical plug bushing indicated by the numeral 27adapted to fit into an appropriate cylindrical opening 27' in the end ofthe tool handle '17. In this case, the tool end 16 may be rotated withinthe bushing to provide a choice of working angles and then clamped inposition by any suitable securing means such as a ring ferrule indicatedby the numeral 28.

in the particular illustration, the blade shown diagrammatically dottedline 10 is rotated 180. The blade it may be retained in the handle atany diagonal angle convenient to the person openating the tool for anyparticular soil working or weeding job to be accomplished.

For example, the tool is particularly adapted for cutting and rakingweeds and grass, to remove the same from the soil, which may be bypulling the weeds from the soil if they are too large to be cut, and theprovision of the adjustable handle relative to the operating parts ofthe tool greatly enhances its value as a soil cultivator or penetratesthe ground for any purpose.

The soil working pointed portion 11 of the tool may be modified as shownin FIGS. 4 and 5. in this construction it will be noted that one side ofthe point 11 may consist of a longer cutting edge as indicated by thenumeral 25. The advantage of this particular modification is that theopposite teeth shall serve as a pry or support when twisting the toolfor performing a particular service in working soil. This is especiallybeneficial in working rocky or hard soil where it is difficult to attainsufiicient soil penetration. Furthermore, the mid longitudinal midportion is curved slightly as indicated by the numeral 11 but the samecutting ability of the teeth is maintained in the same relativeposition.

Whichever form of tool is employed, the upper end of the blade isprovided with an outstanding shoulder portion 26 which not onlystrengthens the tool but provides a foot rest for forcing the tool intothe ground. For use with a ShOI'L handle, the tool blade end 16 may befrictionally forced into the opening 24- in the handle 17 but for longhandle Work, the U-shaped end may be retained in the handle channel 24by a suitable wedge indicated by the numeral 29. Whichever form offastening device is used to secure the end 16 into the handle it iscontemplated to provide the desired clamping ferrule to adequatelysecure the tool rigidly to the handle.

While I have shown and described a garden tool constructed and arrangedin accordance with the present invention, it is obvious that variouschanges may be made 4 therein without departing from the scope thereofas delined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A formed metal soil working and cutting tool comprising alongitudinally channeled body portion flared transversely throughout itslength, a substantially pointed terminal ground penetrating portioncurved from the bottom channel line of said body portion, an upper bodyportion curved rearvvardly from the channel line and terminating as asubstantially U-shaped and elongated handle engaging portion, thechannel bottom line of said elongated portion and the tangent at themidpoint of the curve of said ground engaging portion lying insubstantially parallel planes, soil working and cutting teeth formed onthe opposite side edges of said flared body portion, said teeth beingslanted upwardly toward the handle, the teeth on one side beingprogressively offset transversely from the teeth on the opposite sideedge of the [body member to vary the soil Working ability of the toolfrom the point to the handle engaging portion, and strengthen the tool.

2. A garden tool of the character described in claim 1 in which the sideedge cutting teeth of the body portion are sharpened at the upper andlower edges and formed of progressively larger area toward the handleend of the tool, and the ground engaging point is spear-arrow shaped.

3. A soil working and cutting tool of the character designated in claim1 in which the gullet portions of the teeth on opposite sides of theblade are in horizontally dilt'erent transverse planes whereby addedstrength is imparted to the tool and the ground engaging surfaces aredifferent at each movement of the tool.

4. A soil working and cutting tool of the character described in claim 1wherein the tool blade is eccentrically mounted in a handle for varyingthe angle of the soil penetrating blade point relative to the directionof ap plied force on the handle.

5. A soil working and weed cutting tool of the character described inclaim 1 including a cylindrical bushing having a diagonally disposedchannel formed therein for receiving a tool blade and means foradjustably securing the bushing in a handle for manipulating the bladeto perform useful work.

6. A soil working and cutting tool of the character described in claim 1in which the pointed soil penetrating portion includes at one sidethereof a relatively long cutting edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 96,740Springstead Nov. 9, 1869 698,715 Knight Apr. 29, 1902 1,262,482 HalesApr. 9, 1918 1,710,039 Bauer Apr. 23, 1929 2,635,363 Seymour Apr. 21,1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,468 Great Britain Aug. 4, 1910 OTHER REFERENCESGermany, appn No. 10,633 printed Oct. 6, 1955,

1. A FORMED METAL SOIL WORKING AND CUTTING TOOL COMPRISING ALONGITUDINALLY CHANNELED BODY PORTION FLARED TRANSVERSELY THROUGHOUT ITSLENGTH, A SUBSTANTIALLY POINTED TERMINAL GROUND PENETRATING PORTIONCURVED FROM THE BOTTOM CHANNEL LINE OF SAID BODY PORTION, AN UPPER BODYPORTION CURVED REARWARDLY FROM THE CHANNEL LINE AND TERMINATING AS ASUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED AND ELONGATED HANDLE ENGAGING PORTION, THECHANNEL BOTTOM LINE OF SAID ELONGATED PORTION AND THE TANGENT AT THEMIDPOINT OF THE CURVE OF SAID GROUND ENGAGING PORTION LYING INSUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL PLANES, SOIL WORKING AND CUTTING TEETH FORMED ONTHE OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES OF SAID FLARED BODY PORTION, SAID TEETH BEINGSLANTED UPWARDLY TOWARD THE HANDLE, THE TEETH ON ONE SIDE BEINGPROGRESSIVELY OFFSET TRANSVERSELY FROM THE TEETH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDEEDGE OF THE BODY MEMBER TO VARY THE SOIL WORKING ABILITY OF THE TOOLFROM THE POINT TO THE HANDLE ENGAGING PORTION, AND STRENGTHEN THE TOOL.